Cartridge pressure regulator

Abstract

A fluid pressure regulator is designed with a removable cartridge in which all of the wetted parts of the regulator which are subject to wear by the fluid may be removed from the housing of the regulator without detaching the housing from the plumbing to which it is attached. The valve and valve actuator are designed so as to encourage relatively high velocity fluid flow there through so as to prevent clogging and settling of material therein. The valve actuator is also designed to produce divergent flow outwardly to the diaphragm perimeter preventing clogging and setting of material therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a housing having an inlet and outlet, a diaphragm, a ball, a ball retainer, a seat, a valve actuator means for biasing said diaphragm, the improvement comprising: a cartridge member removably retained in said housing, said ball, said ball retainer and said seat being located in said cartridge member such that said cartridge member containing said ball, said ball retainer, said seat and may all be removed from said housing, as a unit;   a diaphragm chamber containing said diaphragm and said actuator, said inlet connecting to said chamber and sized so as to maintain flow velocity through said regulator as a relatively high level and directing said flow through said chamber so as to continually flush said chamber, said actuator comprising a head having a diaphragm side and a stem side, said diaphragm comprising a perimeter and said actuator stem side comprises a diametral angular rib for directing flow through said chamber to said perimeter.   
     
     
       2. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a housing having an inlet and outlet, a diaphragm, a ball, a ball retainer, a seat, a valve actuator means for biasing said diaphragm, the improvement comprising: a cartridge member removably retained in said housing, said ball, said ball retainer and said seat being located in said cartridge member such that said ball said retainer, said seat and said member may be removed from said housing as a unit; and   a diaphragm chamber containing said diaphragm and said actuator, said actuator comprising: a heat having a diaphragm side and a stem side, said actuator stem side comprising a diametral rib for directing flow through said chamber, said inlet connecting to said chamber and sized so as to maintain flow velocity through said regulator as a relatively high level and directing said flow through said chamber so as to flush said chamber.